Our trip to Bloomington, Indiana was sponsored by Visit Bloomington. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
I’ve heard of Bloomington, Indiana because I know that Indiana University is located there but I’ve never been. I was excited that my family got the chance to travel to Bloomington for a fun fall family weekend getaway last weekend! Bloomington is a college town but it’s not just that, Bloomington is a real gem that has so much to offer. We explored, we ate good, and also checked out some cool places to visit. Bloomington is perfect for a getaway with bae and also great for a family road trip. Keep reading for our recommendations on where to stay, what to eat, and fun things to do.
Where is Bloomington, Indiana located?
Bloomington is located in Southern Indiana in the heart of the Midwest. It’s within driving distance from many Midwestern cities!
- 1 hour & 15 minutes from Indianapolis, Indiana.
- 2 hours from Louisville, Kentucky.
- 2 hours & 45 minutes from Cincinnati, Ohio.
- 3 hours & 30 minutes from Lexington, Kentucky.
- 3 hours & 45 minutes from Columbus, Ohio and St. Louis, Missouri.
- 4 hours from Chicago, Illinois.
- 4 hours & 30 minutes from Nashville, Tennessee.
- 5 hours & 30 minutes from Detroit, MI
Where to stay in Bloomington
When it comes to places to stay there are plenty of options. We stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn which is located right in the heart of downtown Bloomington and is within walking distance to almost everything in this travel guide. The hotel was very quiet and great for those with families. They even offer a breakfast buffet if you prefer to eat at the hotel or grab a quick bite to eat before heading out. There are many other hotels in the area as well that you can check out here.
Where to Eat in Bloomington
Now, this won’t be a hard task. Bloomington has a ton of amazing restaurants to eat at. Here are some of the spots we checked out.
Soma– Soma is really a B-Town vibe. We headed to Soma to grab smoothies and coffee to start our day. It’s a super cute place with so much character. Soma Coffeehouse and Juice Bar’s mission is to provide our customers, staff, suppliers, and community with an unparalleled and complete coffee, tea and juice experience in an environment steeped in understanding, knowledge, skill, service and mutual respect. I definitely felt that entire vibe while I was there. Put this place on your list when you visit Bloomington, it’s a MUST!
Social Cantina– Did somebody say Tacos?!! Social Cantina is a modern Mexican street fare. They offer inspired and traditional tacos, more than 100 bottles of Tequila and Mezcal, and freshly squeezed lime Margaritas. Social Cantina is a great spot for lunch or dinner. It’s also very family-friendly.
Crazy Horse– The Crazy Horse is a Bloomington restaurant and full bar. It’s located on Kirkwood Avenue right in the center of everything. Crazy Horse has a fun, laid-back environment that is great for all ages. We had dinner outside, and it was amazing. This restaurant is also very family-friendly.
Village Deli– Village Deli is known for their HUGE pancakes. The Village Deli has been a weekend breakfast tradition for many in Bloomington. You can’t “Do Bloomington” without “Doing The Deli basically!
If you are looking for some sweet treats around Bloomington I’ve got you covered!
Hartzell’s Ice Cream– We had to try some of the famous homemade Ice cream at Hartzell’s! Riley was one happy camper! They also have soft-serve ice cream, fat-free frozen yogurt, and Carbolite, a sugar-free tasty low calorie treat! You can get your ice cream in a cup, cone, or topped with any of their more than 50 toppings! They also offer shakes, floats, sundaes, spinners, and Slush Puppies!
Rainbow Bakery – I was excited to learn about Rainbow Bakery in Bloomington. It’s an all-vegan bakery! I got the husband and Riley to try a vegan cookie and they loved it. Rainbow Bakery has been in Bloomington since 2013 and they offer a daily selection of freshly baked goods and simple coffee service, available for dine-in or carry-out.
Upland Brewing Co.- We stopped by Upland Brewing Co. for some lunch before heading back on our drive home. The food was so good! Upland Brewing Co. offers lunch and dinner menus that feature locally sourced ingredients and plenty of creative options for vegetarians and vegans. You can also enjoy live music certain days of the week.
Looking for more? Here is a list of all the restaurants in Bloomington.
What To Do In Bloomington, Indiana
There are an endless number of things to do in Bloomington. Bloomington, Indiana is perfect for a vacation with your significant other, a family trip, a girls trip or even a solo trip! But Bloomington truly has something for everyone. Here are a few things we checked out while in Bloomington.
The B-Line Trail– This is a must-see when visiting Bloomington! The B-Line Trail is a 12′ asphalt, multi-use trail that extends a total of 3.1 miles. Jog, bike, walk, or even rent a scooter and explore some of Bloomington in a cool way!
Indiana University Campus– You can’t go to Bloomington, Indiana without visiting the beautiful campus of Indiana University. It’s literally one of the most beautiful campuses that I’ve ever been to. The sample gates are a great place to take a photo and is a very popular spot on campus. There are also woods surrounding the campus which are also breathtaking. I was so at zen visiting the campus. Why didn’t I go here LOL! It was also Riley’s first time visiting a college campus and she was so excited!
Fowlers Pumpkin Patch– We were in luck because it was the opening weekend for Fowler Pumpkin Patch when we were in town. Fowler Pumpkin Patch is about 20 minutes from where we stayed just an FYI. Fowlers offeras hayrides that run every hour starting at 11 am Saturday and Sunday! The cost for the hayride is $5 per person, children under 3 free! Fowlers also offers a petting zoo as well as plenty of gourds, squash, mums and all sorts of fun fall decorations.
Check Out The Murals Around B-Town – Bloomington is a community rich in art. There are so many amazing murals around town that you can visit. We made sure to check out as many as we could. We really love art and this was a treat for our entire family.
Bloomington Community Farmers Market – We stumbled upon Bloomington’s amazing farmers market while on a Saturday walk through the town. The Bloomington Community Farmers’ Market is one of the areas most beloved traditions. It happens every Saturday from April to November. Over 100 local vendors come to sell a variety of foods and goods that are grown and or made in Indiana (which I think is super amazing) there is nothing like a community that supports its own. You can shop for fresh fruits and vegetables, local dairy products, eggs, fresh and/or frozen meats, The Bloomington Community Farmers market also has locally made salsa, jam, jelly, honey, maple syrup, relish, and vinegar. I was happy to see that they had plants! Their plant vendors that offer a variety of non-invasive plants, flowers, and herbs, and non-food products like beeswax, and bar soaps. There is something for everyone at the Bloomington Community Farmers Market.
Bloomington also has other farmer’s markets offered at different times of the year. You can check them out here.
Lotus In The Park– The Lotus Education & Arts Foundation held Lotus In The Park while we were in Bloomington. Their mission is to create opportunities to experience, celebrate, and explore the diversity of the world’s cultures, through music and the arts. We had an amazing time creating art, listening to some live music, and trying out some great food. While we were there also was Lotus World Music & Arts Festival. It is the foundation’s flagship program The festival is one of the oldest world music festivals in the U.S. and the only festival of its kind in the state of Indiana. This past year was its 26th year!. The festival attracts more than 12,000 people to downtown Bloomington annually each fall.
Bloomington has events every month that you can check out here. Also, find you can find more things to do in Bloomington here.
Where To Shop
There are so many cool places to shop in Bloomington. We checked out a few amazing places during our stay.
Gather– Gather is a retail gift shop in Bloomington. Gather showcases emerging and independent handmade goods. They sell the independent work of more than 250 artists, crafters, and makers from the Midwest and beyond. The work represented at Gather ranges from handmade and handcrafted jewelry to bath and body, kids’ toys and clothing to woodworking, illustration, knitted and crocheted work and much much more. I love that they also offer workshops and classes to help create and foster their artistic community as well as a gallery space to exhibit emerging as well as well known artists in the area.
Caveat Emperor – If you are looking for a really cool place to check out in Bloomington Caveat Emperor is it! Our family loves reading so we had to check out this used and rare book store. At Caveat Emperor you can find gifts, for research, or just browse around. There is a book for everyone at Caveat Emperor!
You can check out more places to shop in Bloomington here.
You can also check out some fun things to do with kids in Bloomington here.
I hope you enjoyed my Bloomington, Indiana Travel Guide! There is so much more to do and see, they have so many ideas for your next trip to Bloomington! You can check out more about Bloomington, Indiana here!
Xo
Michelle
Also, check out our Couples Weekend Guide To Las Vegas
